Car-coupling



(No Model.) A

A. HARTEB.

OAR COUPLING.

No. 404,083. Patented May 28,- 1889.

7 0 a. J I? UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADAM HARTER, OF APPLE CREEK, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,083, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed March 13, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADAM HARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Apple Creek, in the county of lVayne and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings; and it consists in a certain novel construction and combination of devices, fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coupler applied in the operative position to the end of a car. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the draw-head partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view. Fig.4 is a detail view of the swinging jaw and the trigger detached from the draw-head.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the draw-head, the interior of which is divided longitudinally by a horizontal partition, a, into the upper and lower compartments, at a; and B B represent side openings which are formed in the sides of the drawhead, near its front end.

0 designates a swinging jaw, which fits in the opening B in the side of the draw-head, and is provided with an angular shank, D, the longitudinal arm d of which fits in a groove, E, in the side of the draw-head. The transverse arm (1' of the said shank extends through a transverse recess, F, near the rear end of the draw-head, and is pivoted at its extremity therein. A coiled spring, G, is arranged in the recess F and bears against the rear side of the shank of the jaw near its angle, thereby holding the jaw pressed inward at its front or free end.

The interior of the draw-head, at its front end, on the side opposite to the swinging jaw, is shouldered to form a stationary jaw, II, which is similar in shapeto the swinging jaw, the shouldered link I being adapted to be engaged between the said opposing jaws, then inserted in the draw-head.

K represents a trigger, which is affixed at its rear end to the pivoted end of the shank of the swinging jaw and projects at its free front end into the draw-head through the opening 13'. hen the free end of the swing- Serial No. 303,069. (No model.)

ing jaw is swung outward (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2) to disengage the link, the free end of the trigger swings inward, thereby pushing the inner end of the link out of engagement with the stationary jaw. The upper and lower edges of the swinging aw fit in shallow depressions L L in the upper and lower sides of the interior of the draw-head, to brace the jaw against the strain of the link.

M designates an uncoupling-chain, which is connected at one end to an eye, m, near the front end of the swinging jaw, is extended rearwardly in an inclined direction around a guide-roller, N, mounted on the car, and 1s thence carried vertically close to the end of the car, and is attached to the lower end of the slotted link 0.

An operating lever, P, is mounted in a bracket, p, at the top of the car, and a rod, p is affixed at its upper end to the lever, and 1s connected at its lower end bya short chain, 19 to the upper end of the slotted link. A similar operating lever, Q, is pivoted in a bracket, q, on the end of the car, and fits at its inner end in the slot of the link 0, and is held in place therein by the transverse pins q q, and the free outer end of the lever operated in a slotted guide, R, having a notch, r, at its upper end to receive the end of the lever when elevated, and a shoulder, r, at its lower end to engage the end of the lever when lowered.

The coupling-link is provided with a longitudinal slot, which may be engaged by a vertical coupling-pin of the ordinary construction, fitting in perforations S S in the upper and lower sides of the draw-head.

The operation of the improved coupler will be evident from the above description. The spring G holds the swinging jaw normally in the engaged position, so that when the link is inserted in the draw-head it is automatically engaged. To disengage the link, operate either of the levers, thereby drawing the free end of the jaw rearwardly and laterally. When the coupler is in the engaged position, the free end of the lever Q normally rests in the notch r at the upper end of the guide R, and if it is desired to uncouple the cars from the top the upper lever may be operated, thereby raising the slotted link independently of the lever Q. The swinging jaw may be locked in the disengaged position by engaging the free end of the lever Q with the shoulder r at the lower end.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of the hollow draw-head having a stationary jaw, H, the swinging jaw pivoted in the draw-head, the trigger connected to the swinging jaw and arranged adjacent to the stationary jaw, as described, and means to operate the swinging jaw, substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head provided with a stationary jaw, H, the swinging jaw mounted in the draw-head and provided with a trigger, K, which is arranged at its free end close to the stationary jaw, the chain connected to the swinging jaw and provided with a slotted link, the upper operating-lever connected to the free end of the said chain, and the lower operating-lever fitting in the slotted link and operating at its outer end in a slotted guide having an upper notch, r, and a lower shoul- ADAM HARTER.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. OAsNER, A. B. MACKEY. 

